The day went by in a blur. Maya had filled me in on Patrick before we got to the restaurant and she was right: I liked him even more the second time we met. Maya had given him the details about my arrival in Newdale, and he hadn’t pressed me for information about my first visit to the Cliff’s Head, something I was grateful for. Patrick had a serenity about him. Even when one of the suppliers brought cilantro instead of mint Patrick never raised his voice, didn’t once utter a cross word. In many ways he reminded me of a younger version of Mike. At the end of my shift he congratulated me on a job well done, and said he hoped to put me to work as close to full-time as possible, at least until the end of the summer, if I agreed. I told him I needed a day or so to think about it.

“You seem pleased,” Maya said when we got in her car.

“Patrick asked me to stay longer term,” I said, relaying his plans, to which she smiled broadly, insisting it was a great idea, that now I had no reason to leave Newdale. “I’ll talk to Ash about it, but thanks for this, Maya. I know we kind of got off on the wrong foot.”

She sighed, letting her hands fall into her lap. “I was a jerk. I was terrified I’d lose Ash again when you arrived here. To be honest, I was angry he’d never told you about me, jealous, too, but I realize I had nothing to worry about. It’s all working out perfectly.”

“Yes, it is, isn’t it? That new flashback this morning was fantastic. I’m hoping it’s just the beginning of a proper recovery. Maybe in no time at all, everything will come back.”

“Maybe, but...look, the doctors were very clear about him possibly never getting back to normal, whatever normal is. I know I can live with that, but can you?”

“Yes,” I whispered. “I told you I love him, and...well, I hope he still loves me.”

“That’s wonderful, I’m happy for you both,” she said as she reversed out of the parking spot, but when I glanced at her, despite her joyful-sounding delivery, her smile was all teeth, and zero elation.

29

ASH

I hadn’t expected my feelings for Lily to develop so fast, for me to care for her as much as I did already after her arrival not even two weeks ago. Now she was staying at the house, I found myself even more excited to see her in the morning and looking forward to her coming home after work. It was almost as if my subconscious had connected with her before the rest of me, leading the way, knowing exactly what I needed.